Design and Implementation of an IoT-Enabled Safety System for Electric Vehicles

Safety is one of the most critical aspects in the opera- tion of electric vehicles, especially in low-speed environments such as campus transportation, industrial mobility, and short-distance travel systems. Accidents in such systems are often caused due to driver inattentiveness and lack of proper obstacle detection mechanisms. To address these challenges, this paper presents the design and implementation of an IoT-based driver safety and obstacle detection system using the ESP8266 microcontroller. The proposed system integrates Force Sensitive Resistors (FSR) for monitoring driver engagement and an ultrasonic sensor (HC-SR04) for detecting nearby obstacles. The FSR sensors are mounted on the steering wheel to detect the presence of the driver’s hands by measuring applied pressure, ensuring that the driver is actively controlling the vehicle. The ultrasonic sensor continuously measures the distance between the vehicle and surrounding objects using echo-based distance calculation. These sensors provide real-time data to the ESP8266, which acts as the central processing unit. The ESP8266 processes the sensor inputs using predefined logic and identifies unsafe conditions such as the absence of driver interaction or the presence of obstacles within a critical distance. Upon detection of such conditions, a buzzer alert system is activated to provide immediate audio feedback to the driver, enabling quick corrective action. The system operates continuously in real time, ensuring minimal delay in response and reliable performance. Additionally, the ESP8266 offers built-in Wi-Fi capability, enabling future enhancements such as cloud connectivity, remote monitoring, and data analysis. The system is designed to be cost- effective, compact, and easy to implement, making it suitable for integration into small-scale electric vehicles and smart mobility solutions. The results demonstrate that the proposed system provides accurate detection, fast response, and reliable operation under various conditions. Overall, the developed system enhances vehi- cle safety, reduces the risk of accidents, and contributes to the advancement of intelligent and connected transportation systems.